I Didn’t See That Coming!
Opening Prayer
Lord, thank You for some hard guidelines which begin a rough legal system that reaches even into today’s situations.
Read Exodus 22:1–15
“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
2 “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; 3 but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.
“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. 4 If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.
5 “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.
6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.
7 “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. 8 But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. 9 In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to the other.
10 “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11 the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12 But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. 13 If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.
14 “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. 15 But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:9).
Think Further
Sometimes we sin deliberately. Sometimes we miss the mark accidentally (e.g., forgetting an appointment). Sometimes we don’t sin at all, yet find ourselves caught up in a situation we didn’t see coming and beyond our control but in which we find ourselves somehow culpable. Perhaps we have even done someone a favor only to place ourselves in trouble. For instance, we mind our neighbor’s silver or goods and then they get stolen (7,8), or care for an animal and then it dies (10–13). I once looked after a friend’s hamster for a few days, put the cage too near the curtains, and the hamster’s teeth turned a few folds of curtain into a lovely snowflake shape, such as you make at school by folding paper and making a few snips.
The laws in this passage cover such events, as well as deliberate or mistaken sin. What happens if you strike someone breaking into your house (2)? What compensation must thieves pay (3,4)? What happens if your sheep breaks through the fence and eats your neighbor’s grass (5)? What happens if you start a fire which breaks out of control (6)? What if two people claim lost property (9)? What if you ask to borrow an animal and then it dies (14,15)? These laws, as part of Israel’s legal system as a nation, aimed to keep society rolling smoothly and fairly, preventing people from retaliating out of anger or taking revenge on their neighbor. Conversely, they would prevent others from refusing to pay compensation since the wrong was unintended and therefore only technically their fault. While God requires fairness, his ideal is higher (in both Testaments): that we meet evil with blessing.
Apply
Much of this passage deals with just restitution for damages. Are New Testament Christians to be concerned with restitution?
Closing prayer
Father, I have sinned against You and my neighbor, due to my overall shortsightedness. Please forgive me (based on Anglican prayer of penitence).
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